Safety is “no longer a spectator sport,” Wisconsin Sheriff David Clarke Tells Residents to Learn How to Use a Gun to Defend Themselves

With budget
cutbacks putting a strain on law enforcement, simply calling 911 might not cut
it in a life-or-death or situation, Clarke said in a new radio ad this month. Safety is “no longer a spectator
sport,” he says. “I need you in the game.”

“With
officers laid off and furloughed, simply calling 911 and waiting is no longer
your best option,” Clark adds. “You can beg for mercy from a violent criminal,
hide under the bed, or you can fight back. But are you prepared?”

“Consider
taking a certified safety course in handling a firearm so you can defend
yourself until we get there. You have a duty to protect yourself and your
family. We’re partners now. Can I count on you?” he asks.

The spot has
quickly earned criticism, including from the Milwaukee Deputy Sheriffs’
Association and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

Milwaukee
Deputy Sheriffs’ Association president Roy Felber told the Associated Press it
sounds like a call to vigilantism, while Barrett’s spokeswoman said it sounded like Clarke was “auditioning for the next
Dirty Harry movie.”

But Clarke
told the AP he simply wants people to know what their options are in protecting
themselves.

“I’m not
telling you to `Hey, pick up a gun and blast away,’” he said. “People need to
know what they are doing if they chose that method – to defend themselves.”

He said
self-defense may not be for everyone, but that people who want to know how
should be trained properly. After budget cuts forced him to lay off 48 deputies
last year, he realized he had an “untapped reserve” — the public.